World Politics

Taiwan's Premier Wu Den-yih has urged China to remove missiles targeting the island to pave the way for peace talks between the formal arch-rivals, according to a report. Beijing needed to build deeper trust with Taiwan by removing the rockets as well as allowing the island greater space in the international community, Wu was quoted on Saturday by the United Daily News as saying. "We can only begin talks on a peace agreement when the two sides accumulate more mutual trust and mutual benefits, and when there is a strong consensus in Taiwan and more concrete goodwill by China. "It is not the time ... Read Full Story

France's foreign minister walked into a remote Afghan village on Friday to talk with small farmers and local tribal leaders about how to bypass corrupt officials and bring aid directly to those who need it. Bernard Kouchner, in Afghanistan to attend President Hamid Karzai's inauguration to a second term Thursday, spent the night at Tora, a NATO forward operating base held by the French Foreign Legion in the Surobi region about 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of the capital in the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains — where hundreds of insurgents operate. Under heavy escort but without a helmet or body armor, Kouchner ... Read Full Story

LONDON (Reuters) - The Afghan government would quickly be overthrown if NATO troops pulled out of the country now, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Friday. "If international forces leave, you can choose a time -- five minutes, 24 hours or seven days -- but the insurgent forces will overrun those forces that are prepared to put up resistance and we would be back to square one," he told the Guardian newspaper. At the end of a visit to Kabul for the inauguration of President Hamid Karzai, Miliband said Afghans were "sad that they need anyone, but they are passionate that my goodness they ... Read Full Story

Germany will hold off on any decision about adding troops to Afghanistan at least until the United States makes a move, the country's defense chief said Thursday. "We are, eagerly probably as you all are, waiting for the president's speech and ... waiting for the new concept, the new strategic ideas from our American friends," German Minister of Defense Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said following meetings at the Pentagon on Thursday. A day earlier, his nation announced it will continue its military mission in Afghanistan next year despite the war's unpopularity at home and doubts about the credibility of the Afghan government. Guttenberg told reporters ... Read Full Story

The foreign ministers of Japan and China agreed Thursday to advance political and military exchanges in a bid to foster mutual trust, a Japanese diplomat said. Japan's Katsuya Okada and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi also reiterated their shared resolve to press North Korea to stop its nuclear programmes, to tackle climate change and to boost economic cooperation, he said. "In particular, Foreign Minister Okada pointed out that exchanges in the security field were necessary," said the diplomat, who attended the talks. Okada told Yang that continued exchanges of navy vessels and military officers should improve trust between the two countries, the diplomat said, ... Read Full Story